Last night's dinner was lovely, in spite of deciding not to serve the fish course due to questionable freshness... bummer! They were lovely tuna steaks but I am committed to the "when in doubt, throw it out" rule. (Apologizing for a missing course is definitely less embarrassing than giving someone intestinal difficulties...)
With cheese and bread, soup and salad, wine and dessert - it turned out delicious and perfectly filling. By popular demand I am writing out the "recipes" of last night's success. Tiny disclaimer: Please know that I make dishes, sometimes for years, without ever really paying attention to how much of this and what measure of that. I just eyeball it and shrug my shoulders and experiment. Sometimes I win a little extra grace from the kitchen gods and it turns out exceptionally well.
As I've shared in earlier posts, I'm also blessed with a partner who delights even in my seeming failures. I hope that all of you have the support and chutzpah, and grocery income, to play in the kitchen as well. And I'd love to hear how your experiments with my recipes turn out as well. May all your meals be thrilling and always shared with people you love, or at least with people who are interesting...
Carrot Ginger Soup
3-4 cups chopped carrots (fat coins)
1/2 medium yellow onion, fine dice
1-3 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2-3 Tbsp oil (suggest safflower, sunflower or canola - olive may be too strong tasting)
1/8 tsp salt, plus extra to taste
1/8 tsp white pepper, plus extra to taste
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp ground coriander
4-6 cups stock, chicken or veggie
1 cup snow pea pods, rinsed and cut in half diagonally
METHOD:
In stock pot or large pot, heat oil, salt and spices over medium heat until fragrant.
Add ginger and onions and saute until light fond develops.
Add carrots and saute briefly, but don't allow ginger to burn.
Add stock and bring to a boil.
Cover and reduce heat, simmering until carrots can be mashed when pressed gently with a spoon (about 30 - 40 minutes).
Puree the soup (half batch at a time) in a glass blender, or use a "wand blender" directly in the pot.
Taste and add more salt and white pepper if desired.
Place a handful of pea pods halves in each soup bowl and ladle soup over top. Peas will blanch right in the puree and add a lightly crunchy counterpoint to the richness of the soup.
Serve and enjoy! Makes 4-6 adult portions and recipe can be doubled.
Pear Chevre Cashew Salad with Mustard Apple Cider Vinaigrette
2-3 cups mixed greens & spinach
1 cup baby arugula (preferably sylvette)
1 ripe bosc pear (neck should yield to gentle pressure, but fruit should not be soft)
1 cup roasted lightly salted cashews
1/2 cup goat cheese
METHOD:
Rinse and dry greens, and place them in large serving bowl.
Cut pear into quarters, discarding stem and seeds.
Slice each quarter diagonally into crescents and place in bowl with greens.
Spoon or crumble goat cheese over salad.
Top with cashews and toss to distribute all evenly.
This salad is great with a varying cast of characters. Try other combinations of tree fruits, nuts or seeds, and cheeses. Mustard Apple Cider Vinaigrette
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup oil (suggest safflower, sunflower or canola)
1 - 2 Tbsp spicy brown mustard
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (remove stems), minced salt and black pepper to taste.
METHOD:
Place all ingredients in lidded jar or container.
Close lid tightly and shake the jar until your arm gets tired.
Give the jar to a friend to shake until their arm gets tired.
Dressing should get lighter in color and expand in volume as it emulsifies.
Taste and add more seasoning as needed. Dress salad and serve with fresh bread.
If you get a chance to try these two, or any of the other recipes we've shared, please share your stories with us here in the comments or via email at crouchinglentil at me dot com
Cheers!
